Real Dress Whites

“And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:13–17).

“And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Salvation First:
Many of the world’s top business leaders advocate envisioning your success as a way to encourage that success. They also advocate surrounding yourself with successful people. What if we applied that concept to our spiritual lives? What if we made a habit of reading the testimonies of success in the Scriptures like today’s theme text? What if we envisioned ourselves in white robes, having already been victorious? What if we envisioned ourselves standing before the Throne of God bursting with thanksgiving? What if we daily envisioned ourselves surrounded by spotless people and holy angels with no more tears, disease, pain, death, or sin? What impact would that have on the way we live in the here and now? What if we surrounded ourselves with likeminded people, so we could be encouraged by one another as we envisioned ways to give others the hope we experienced?

Today’s Observation:

Just before the seventh seal is opened with the last of all the cataclysm and commotion of things that precede the Second Coming of Christ, John saw a scene almost like God pressed pause on His judgments. As we have said for the past two days, before He unleashes the winds of strife, hail, fires, lightnings, plagues, and all sorts of destruction, the Lord will make certain that those who ultimately chose to surrender to Him in love, will be protected.

Then the scene elevates our consciousness to a time when the faithful will have already gone through their final trials triumphantly. God pulls back the curtain so we can get a sneak peek at the throne. Immediately, we notice that there is an innumerable multitude of people, including the 144,000, who are blessed to finally receive the ultimate reward—to live eternally with God. They are all praising God and clothed in the brightest robes of Christ’s righteousness.

One of the 24 elders asked John if he knew who those lovely people were that were all arrayed in white. John is so enthralled by the scene that he does not even venture a guess. He says, “You know…” implying that the elder should also tell him. The elder said that these people are those who have been victorious through many trials, tribulations, and temptations. This is why they worship God so much! They understand what it is to be forgiven, cleansed, redeemed, and carried through the harshest trials the devil can create. They are finally living in the bliss of a sin-free universe, just like God intended.

Conclusion

We should find encouragement in the elder’s answer. In it we quickly discover that brother John and all who consistently choose faith in God, are included in that joyous scene. All who have ever lived and surrendered to God’s plan for their lives are pictured in the scene. Can you see John there? Can you see Noah, Abigail, King David, Huldah, and Paul there? Can you see the great judge Deborah and the blessed mother of Jesus there? Can you see Rahab, Hanna, and the woman caught in the very act of adultery there? More than these, can you see yourself there? How do you look? Do you seem disappointed that you had to give up your worldly thoughts, pursuits, and attainments to be ever present with the King of the Universe? What else do you see?

A Prayer for Your Hearts:

Lord, please give us your eyes, so we can see clearly. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.